2024-25 Huskies Athletic Awards Night: Gascoigne, Gentile named Athletes of the Year

Saint Mary's Department of Athletics and Recreation is proud to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of Huskies student-athletes and teams during the 2024-25 season.

On March 26, 2025, the Huskies Athletic Awards Banquet brought together over 300 student-athletes, coaches, managers, volunteers, and special guests to celebrate a great seasons of Saint Mary's Athletics. This season, Saint Mary's celebrated one U SPORTS Major Award Winners, five U SPORTS All-Canadian/All-Rookie Team selections, 24 AUS All-Star/All-Rookie selections, and 15 AUS Major Award Winners.

Women's basketball guard Clara Gascoigne, and men's hockey forward Derek Gentile, headlined the awards, being honoured as the Female and Male Athletes of the Year. 

Gascoigne received another major recognition during the banquet, being named the recipient of the 37th annual PepsiCo James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award. The Bayer Memorial Scholarship is the most prestigious award given out by the AUS, awarded annually to an outstanding student-athlete for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, sportsmanship and citizenship. Marg Bayer, wife of the late James Bayer and Phil Currie, President & CEO of Atlantic University Sport surprised Clara with the honour at Wednesday's Huskies Athletic Awards Banquet.

Below is a complete listing of all major and team award winners:

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL PHOTO ALBUM OF THE 2024-25 ATHLETIC AWARDS

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Clara Gascoigne, women's basketball

Women's basketball guard Clara Gascoigne, a fifth year MBA student from Dartmouth, N.S., has been named the 2024-25 Huskies Female Athlete of the Year.

Gascoigne was named the 2024-25 U SPORTS women's basketball defensive player of the year, after being a finalist for the past two seasons. She was also named a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian, AUS Most Valuable Player, AUS Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player, AUS Defensive Player of the Year and a first team AUS All-Star.

Gascoigne led the Huskies to an 18-2 regular season record, their third straight AUS Championship, and the No. 4 seed at the U SPORTS Final 8.

Gascoigne started 19 games for the Huskies, averaging 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.4 steals and 0.8 blocks in 31.6 minutes per game. Gascoigne ranked second in the AUS in total steals (45) and steals per game (2.4) and ranked among the league leaders in assist to turnover ratio (2.0 A:TO - 3rd), total points (297 points - 6th), assists (64 assists - 6th), blocks (16 blocks - 6th), field goals made (110 FGM - 6th), field goal percentage (42.1 FG% - 6th), points per game (15.6 - 7th), blocks per game (0.8 BPG - 7th), assists per game (3.4 APG - 8th), minutes per game (31.6 MPG - 8th) and free-throws made (51 FTM - 10th).

"Clara Gascoigne is more than just an athlete; she's has been the heart and soul of this team," said Huskies head coach Scott Munro at Wednesday's Award Banquet. "A tremendous competitor, a fierce leader, and a true example of what it means to be the best. Clara will go down as one of the top players to ever play in this program. Clara, we are very proud of everything you have done both on and off the court while at Saint Mary's and we were extremely lucky to have you leading us. Congratulations on being named Athlete of the Year."

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Derek Gentile, men's hockey

Men's hockey forward Derek Gentile, a fourth year MBA student from Sydney, N.S., has been named the 2024-25 Huskies Male Athlete of the Year.

Gentile was named AUS Most Valuable Player, U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian and AUS First Team All-Star, finishing the regular season as the leading scorer in all of U SPORTS men's hockey with 46 points (19 goals and 27 assists) in 29 games played.

Gentile also led the conference in shorthanded goals (3), and finished second in goals (19), assists (27) and game-winning goals (4) this season. He added eight points (one goal and seven assists) in 7 playoff games.

Gentile led the Huskies to a 17-11-2-0 record and a third-place finish in the regular season standings.

"It's easy to talk about great players who score goals or rack up assists, but what makes someone truly invaluable is their character, their integrity, and their commitment to excellence. Derek Gentile embodies all those qualities," said Huskies head coach Tyler Naugler at Wednesday's Award Banquet. "In every sense, Derek is the definition of a leader. He has earned the respect of his teammates, coaches, and everyone around him—not just because of his talent, but because of his character, and he truly deserves to be named Huskies Athlete of the Year."

FEMALE PRESIDENT'S AWARD – Ashley Penney, women's hockey

Women's hockey forward Ashley Penney, a fourth year biology honours student from Lawrencetown, N.S., has been named the 2024-25 Huskies Female President's Award winner for Outstanding Academic and Athletic Performance.

Penney won the 2024-25 AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Award for her academic, athletic and community contributions

Penney was unanimously selected as Huskies team captain this season, and played in 25 games, scoring seven points with two goals and five assists.

In the classroom, Penney boasts a 4.27 cumulative GPA and has been named an Academic All-Canadian in every year of study. She is the recipient of the Saint Mary's University Faculty Union Scholarship, which is awarded to a student for high academic achievement, as well as the Bob Warner Scholarship, awarded to a varsity athlete that demonstrates both academic and athletic excellence.

Active in the community both on and off campus, Penney has volunteered her time with such initiatives as the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Shelter Movers Halifax and motionball for Special Olympics.

"As an honours student this year and perennial Academic All-Canadian, Ashley has been the true embodiment of what our program aims to recruit," said Huskies head coach Chris Larade at Wednesday's Award Banquet. "Ashley is selfless, dependable beyond words, and her willingness to lead by example is only outmatched by her ability to extend herself to her teammates in the most professional and practical of ways. She is mature beyond her years and her impact on our program will be felt for years to come."

MALE PRESIDENT'S AWARD – Mason Dunlop, men's track & field

Men's track & field athlete Mason Dunlop, a third year commerce student from Middle Musquodoboit, N.S., has been named the 2024-25 Huskies Male President's Award winner for Outstanding Academic and Athletic Performance.

At the AUS Championship, Dunlop won the gold in shot put, breaking the school record for the third time this season, and bronze in the weight throw, and was named AUS Male Field Athlete of the Year. Dunlop went on to represent Saint Mary's at the U SPORTS Nationals, where he finished fourth in the country at shot put, tying his school record and narrowly missing out on the podium.

Dunlop broke Saint Mary's school records in both the shot put and weight throw several times throughout the 2024-25 season. The shot put record in particular stood for 30 years, before Mason broke it four times throughout this season.

Beside his athletic achievements, Dunlop is a tremendous student, pursuing a double major in Finance & Economics. He has a 3.8 GPA and has been an Academic All-Canadian every year. He also works as Research Associates in the Sobey School of Business for both the IMPACT Fund and Department of Economics, and as a Teaching Assistant for the Department of Management Science.

Mason is also active in his community, as a Volunteer Athletic Ambassador with the Saint Mary's Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative, and a Volunteer coach with Para Athletics Nova Scotia.

"All in all, Mason is the definition of a dedicated and high-achieving student-athlete and certainly a deserving recipient of this year's President's Award. Congratulations Mason!" said Huskies head coach Kevin Heisler.

JOHN JONES MEMORIAL AWARD (FEMALE UNSUNG HERO) – Virginia Boone, women's soccer

Women's soccer forward Virginia Boone, a third year science student from Halifax, N.S., has been named the 2024-25 John Jones Memorial Award winner for Female Unsung Hero.

Virginia had a promising start to her Huskies career, in her second year she started all 12 games and scored two goals, including one in the playoffs. On August 8^th, 2023 – just two days before the start of her junior year - Virginia injured her knee while playing with her club team in the Nova Scotia Senior Soccer League semifinal. She had major knee surgery and despite rehabbing and working extremely hard to return, there were complications with her recovery and Virginia had to have a second surgery. 

Despite missing nearly two full seasons through her two major surgeries and the rehab process, Virginia stayed dedicated to Saint Mary's and her teammates, never missing an opportunity to support her team and be a positive role model and leader for her teammates.

On October 6^th of this season, after 417 days away from the game, Virginia subbed into a game here at Saint Mary's in front of her cheering teammates, friends and family, officially achieving her goal of coming back to play at the university level.

"This award is a testament to Virginia's character and hard work," said Huskies head coach Marisa Colzie at Wednesday's award banquet. "Through all her pain, setbacks, tears, and hardships she persevered and never gave up - always staying positive and being a valued member of the team. Virginia is a role model, an energy lifter, and the best of what Saint Mary's has to offer in people."

JOHN JONES MEMORIAL AWARD (MALE UNSUNG HERO) – Bradey Johnson, men's hockey

Men's hockey forward Bradey Johnson, a fourth year psychology student from Lindsay, ON, has been named the 2024-25 John Jones Memorial Award winner for Male Unsung Hero.

Johnson appeared in 29 regular season games for the Huskies this season, scoring a career high 22 points on 12 goals and 10 assists. Over his time at Saint Mary's, Johnson has played many roles – whether he was on the first line or fourth line, penalty kill or powerplay, Bradey always put the team first and never sought recognition.

"Bradey Johnson truly embodies the spirit of Huskies men's hockey," said Huskies head coach Tyler Naugler at Wednesday's Award Banquet. "From day one, Bradey has been a model of selflessness. He shows up every day, ready to compete for this team, and never asks for anything in return. He's never complained about playing time, who his linemates were or being moved around the lineup to best compliment the team. He's embraced every role without hesitation - even offering to play defense - just to help the team succeed. Off the ice, Bradey is a quiet leader who leads by example. He puts in the extra effort every day after practice, showing the younger guys what it truly means to work hard both on and off the ice. Bradey's dedication and commitment to improvement are an inspiration to all of us."

SUPPLEMENT KING FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Grace Blaskovits, women's volleyball

Women's volleyball setter Grace Blaskovits, a first year science student from Kelowna, B.C., has been named the 2024-25 Supplement King Female Rookie of the Year.

Blaskovits was named AUS Rookie of the Year, an AUS Second Team All-Star and to the U SPORTS and AUS All-Rookie teams.

Blaskovits appeared in all 20 matches for the Huskies, leading all rookies and ranking among the AUS leaders in assists (641 - second), assists per set (8.01 - second), service aces (38 - third) and service aces per set (0.47 - third). Blaskovits' 38 service aces is a new Saint Mary's single-season record and ranks as the seventh highest single-season total in AUS history.

"In a season where our team faced lots of adversity and injuries, Grace was a calming presence from day one," said Huskies head coach Darren Russell. "No matter the stage – whether it was regular season, playoffs or Nationals - Grace never got rattled or flustered. As good as Grace was on the court, she's an even better person and comes to work every day with a great attitude. She just goes out and does her job and did an amazing job of it this season, and we're so proud of her achievements. The sky is the limit for Grace and we're excited to watch her career progress."

SUPPLEMENT KING MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Logan Mendes, men's football

Men's football defensive back Logan Mendes, a first year arts student from Quispamsis, N.B., has been named the 2024-25 Supplement King Male Rookie of the Year. 

A redshirt freshman, Mendes not only showed he could play at the university level, but starred, leading all of U SPORTS with five interceptions, adding 18 tackles and four pass break-ups over the regular season and playoffs, and was named an AUS All-Star.

"Logan Mendes came in as a player that we thought would compete for a job, but he quickly surpassed all of our expectations, and by the end of the season was one of the top players in the conference at his position and a deserving AUS All-Star," said Huskies head coach Steve Sumarah. "Logan has shown he understands what it takes to be an all-around player, and he continues to work hard and push himself to be the best player and person he can be. Logan has a bright future and we're excited to watch him continue to develop into one of the top defensive backs in the country."

ROBERT G. HAYES AWARD (VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR) – Steve Simmons, women's volleyball

The 2024-25 Robert G. Hayes Award for Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Steve Simmons, assistant coach with Huskies Women's Volleyball.

"Steve Simmons has always gone above and beyond, guiding, pushing, and believing when we doubted ourselves," says Huskies head coach Darren Russell. "He has always been there to teach, encourage, support and inspire us to be our best. Even this year when he had health issues, his only concern was how are the girls doing! Steve has helped shape all of our players and coaches, not only as athletes, but as individuals, and for that, we're forever grateful."

STUDENT THERAPISTS – DR. DAVID PETRIE AWARD

Devyn Desjardins, Football (Fall 2024) 

Devyn has been with the program for three years, beginning with the Huskies rugby team in 2022, before spending the last two seasons as a student trainer for Huskies football. She is graduating from Dalhousie University's Human Kinetics program this spring, and is planning on pursuing a Masters in Biomedical Engineering, where she will work on developing a remote sensor for patients with ACL injuries to help identify imbalances between legs! Congratulations Devyn and thank you for your years of dedication to Huskies Athletics!

Cheyanne Anderson, Women's Basketball (Winter 2025)  

Cheyanne is finishing her 3^rd year with our women's basketball program, and has been an integral part to the Huskies three-peat as AUS Champions in each of her seasons. Cheyanne will be graduating from Dalhousie University with a Human Kinetics degree, and will be furthering her education at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where she has been accepted into their competitive Masters in Athletic Training program. Congratulations Cheyanne and thank you for your years of dedication to Huskies athletics! 

2024-25 HUSKIES TEAM AWARDS 

Women's Cross-Country:
Rookie of the Year: Mackenzie Hayduk
Coaches Award: Jacqueline Moore
Most Valuable Athlete: Bhreagh Burke

Men's Cross-Country:
Rookie of the Year: Brady Kyle
Coaches Award: Matthew Mundy
Most Valuable Athlete: Brady Kyle

Women's Rugby:
Rookie of the Year: Pearce Batchilder
Coaches Award: Mikayla Brown
Most Valuable Player: Katherine Fairbrother

Men's Football:
Rookie of the Year: Logan Mendes
Coaches Award: Kallon Edwards
Most Valuable Player: Max Van Nieuwkoop

Women's Soccer:
Rookie of the Year: Áine O'Neil
Coaches Award: Charlotte Baines
Most Valuable Player: Cara Freeman

Men's Soccer:
Rookie of the Year: Jake Wilcox
Coaches Award: Scott Firth
Most Valuable Player: Colby Mercer

Women's Track & Field:
Rookie of the Year: Kayla Schaus
Coaches Award: Raeden Black
Most Valuable Athlete: Kayla Schaus

Men's Track & Field:
Rookie of the Year: Ciaran MacDonald
Coaches Award: Andy MacMullin
Most Valuable Athlete: Mason Dunlop

Women's Hockey:
Rookie of the Year: Ava Shearer
Coaches Award: Jillian Duggan
Most Valuable Player: Gillian Lapierre

Men's Hockey:
Rookie of the Year: Connor Trenholm
Coaches Award: Bradey Johnson
Most Valuable Player: Derek Gentile

Women's Volleyball:
Rookie of the Year: Grace Blaskovits
Coaches Award: Sydney Fader
Most Valuable Player: Emilia Mikanovich

Men's Basketball:
Rookie of the Year: Mason Thurber
Coaches Award: Eliel Nsoseme
Most Valuable Player: Jasha'jaun Downey

Women's Basketball:
Rookie of the Year: Evie Hargraves
Coaches Award: Aki Kobayashi
Most Valuable Player: Clara Gascoigne

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL PHOTO ALBUM OF THE 2024-25 ATHLETIC AWARDS

Photos by Mona Ghiz / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics